In the manufacture of automotive vehicles it is often desirable and/or necessary to attain the best possible fit between plural body parts for aesthetic, aerodynamic, weatherproofing or other purposes. Because of variations in the manufacturing process and the stack-up tolerances of various vehicle parts it is often necessary to make various adjustments in the vehicle assembly process to ensure the best possible fit between plural body parts on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis. Accordingly, vehicle body parts are typically designed to allow for a certain range of adjustment in securing the part to the vehicle structure. This is commonly accomplished by use of adjustable fasteners and/or attachment points. Frequently the assembler must make several trial and error attempts in positioning one body part relative to another in order to attain the best possible fit before securing the part to the vehicle structure. For example, in the assembly of agricultural tractors the cowl cover to hood alignment is a critical visual joint. To provide the adjustment required for aligning the cowl to the hood, slots have been used in the cowl mounting flanges. To adjust the cowl to the hood, the cowl mounting hardware must be tightened to retain the cowl in position. The hood is then closed to check the alignment. If the cowl needs to be repositioned, the hood is opened, the hardware loosened, the cowl is repositioned, and the hardware is retightened. The hood is then closed again to recheck the alignment. If still further adjustment is needed the process is repeated until an acceptable fit is attained. However each time the hardware is loosened and torqued, the fastener and sheet metal are compromised and, the plastic parts are subjected to stress cycling.
Accordingly, there is a clear need in the art for a means for attaining the best possible fit between plural body parts without repeatedly loosening, repositioning and tightening the attachment fasteners.